The walk to her room was quiet, a hush had fallen over the castle. Serena would have liked to stay out longer, but she was getting more drowsy by the second. Darius was just ahead, his fingers laced with hers, giving them a gentle squeeze every now and then ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ novel-fire.net
Serena yawned and then she tripped over her feet and quickly recovered herself. Darius jerked her closer to his body and looked her up and down as though he was inspecting her.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
Darius let out a grunt and without another word bent at the knees. Before she could process it, his arm slid under her knees, the other bracing her back. In one smooth motion, he lifted her into his arms. Serena gasped softly, her arms instinctively flying around his neck for balance. Her eyes widened, meeting his steady gaze.
"I am fine really," Serena protested weakly.
Darius shook his head and continued up the stairs, this felt right to him. And then he flashed a smile at her, the hallways here were quiet as ever, if he dropped a pin he was sure it would have echoed.
"I know but I want to do this," Darius said.
Serena kept her lips sealed, she protested yet her hands were tightly wrapped around the man’s neck, at the sight of his smile, she gave him one herself. She let herself relax in his arms and then placed her head on his chest and sighed wistfully.
When they reached her room, he nudged the door open with his shoulder, grumbling under his breath as the latch stuck before finally yielding.
Thank the gods that he wore clothes that were breathable, he would not worry about being pinched by fabrics in whichever way. He placed Serena gently on the bed and the woman looked at him with tired eyes.
"Hold on for me," he said.
Darius walked over to the window and pushed the latch open and let in the night breeze in, a moonless night yet the winds were active. He looked at the window sill, there was a sweet fragrance coming from it but he could not see anything that was responsible for the smell.
He shook his head and rolled his shoulders, he had better things to worry about. A small voice nagged at the back of his head about the amount of work he would have to slug through because of the impromptu trip done today. Darius did not mind, he got to see a smile on Serena’s face and Clara’s had warmed his heart.
He strolled to the side of the bed and sat on the mattress, he brushed aside Serena’s hair and then finally got into bed with her. The man played with her hair mindlessly for a few seconds before he had started to put braids into her hair.
"Do not tangle my hair," Serena murmured without opening her eyes.
"I would never do such a thing," Darius retorted. "I am braiding your hair, I can stop if you like."
"Hm," Serena hummed, her words getting slower and slower. "You know how to braid hair?"
Darius arched a brow in disbelief. "Yes?"
"Oh," was Serena’s only reply.
"You think I would not know how to braid hair?"
Serena remained silent for a few seconds and then she shifted in bed. "It is not that... more so..."
The woman trailed off, she was finding it hard to articulate her words, she sighed and then leaned back to look at him.
Serena raised her hands to the air and gesticulated as though she could make her words more understandable. "Do you ever get so tired of talking that you just want to press your foreheads together?"
Darius laughed under his breath and took her hands gently, pressing his thumbs to her palms. "I do. I wish I could just sit through my council meetings and have them done in the space between cock crows."
"It would be convenient but then people would get lazy and would stop talking to each other. I think the world would become grey if that happens," Serena said.
"You mean the colour of the world or the colour between people?" Darius asked, lowering their hands to her chest.
"Both, it would be horrible."
"That it would be, I would miss the voices of those around me," Darius said.
"Imagine singing goes away," Serena added, her voice even sleepier now. She turned and nestled her head on Darius’ chest, her fingers curling slightly into his shirt. "Can you sing?"
Darius paused for a few seconds and then laughed. "Do I look like someone that can sing?"
"Well, you do not look like someone that can paint," Serena countered.
"Ah, you got me," Darius teased. "I cannot sing."
The two continued talking about the hypothetical situation, the room was filled with unbridled laughter. Serena was the first to fall asleep and Darius followed suit not long after.
Serena stirred, she had no dreams last night. Her eyes fluttered open, the early morning sun had lit up the room. Darius was still fast asleep, and had his hand draped over her. Serena sighed contentedly and snuggled closer.
However, their calm moment was cut short by a knock on the door. Serena’s eyes flew open and so did Darius’. The man sat up and looked at Serena with groggy eyes. He blinked slowly and then another knock came.
Darius sat up too fast, hair slightly mussed and eyes wide with dawning panic. He looked at Serena, then the door, then back at her. Guilt was written all over him like a boy caught red-handed stealing from a kitchen jar.
She could almost hear his ridiculous plan forming. "No," she whispered, catching the way he glanced toward the window.
"The bed, get under," Serena hissed, already lifting the blanket.
Darius followed her instruction and she quickly pulled the blanket lower to cover him better. She bit her lip, he could hide but his scent.
She forced herself into calm and walked briskly to the door. Please just be breakfast. Or linens. Or-
Serena turned the doorknob and opened it halfway. "Livia?"